< Job 1 >
1 In the land named Uz, there was a man named Job. He was a very godly/righteous [DOU] man, who greatly respected/revered God and always avoided doing evil things.
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God, and turning away from evil.
2 He had seven sons and three daughters.
There were born to him seven sons and three daughters.
3 He owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 1,000 oxen, and 500 female donkeys. He also had many servants. He was the richest man in all the area east [of the Jordan River].
His possessions also were seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred female donkeys, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east.
4 Each year, Job’s sons made feasts [in their houses] to celebrate their birthdays. Whenever each one made a feast, he would invite [all his brothers and] his three sisters to come and eat together.
His sons went and held a feast in the house of each one on his day; and they sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
5 When each celebration ended, Job would summon them. He would get up early in the morning and kill animals and burn them on the altar as sacrifices, one for each of his children. He said to himself, “Perhaps [one of] my sons has sinned and said something evil about God in his heart.”
It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Job did so continually.
6 One day, the angels came and gathered together in front of Yahweh, and Satan came too.
Now it happened on the day when the sons of God came to present themselves before Jehovah, that Satan also came among them.
7 Yahweh asked Satan, “Where have you come from?” Satan replied, “I have come from the earth, where I been traveling back and forth, seeing what is happening.”
Jehovah said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, "From going back and forth on the earth, and from walking up and down on it."
8 Yahweh said to Satan, “Have you (noticed/thought about) my [faithful] servant Job? He is very godly/righteous [DOU], he greatly respects/reveres me, and he always avoids doing evil things. There is no one else on the earth like him.”
Jehovah said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant, Job? For there is none like him in the earth, a blameless and an upright man, one who fears God, and turns away from evil."
9 Satan replied to Yahweh, “[What you say is true], but Job greatly respects you [only] because of what [you have done for him] [RHQ].
Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 You have always [RHQ] protected [MET] him and his family and everything that he owns. You have made him very prosperous/rich. He has livestock all over this land.
Haven't you made a hedge around him, and around his household, and around all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his livestock have increased in the land.
11 But if you take away [MTY] everything that he has, he will curse you openly. [IDM]”
But put forth your hand now, and strike all that he has, and he will curse you to your face."
12 Yahweh replied to Satan, “(All right/Okay), I will permit you to take away everything that he has. But do not harm him.” Then Satan left, [and he prepared to cause many disastrous things to happen to Job].
Jehovah said to Satan, "Look, all that he has is in your power. Only do not put forth your hand on him." So Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah.
13 One day [after that], Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the home of their oldest brother.
Now the day came when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,
14 While they were doing that, a messenger arrived at Job’s home and said to him, “While your oxen were plowing [the fields] and the donkeys were grazing nearby,
that there came a messenger to Job, and said, "The oxen were plowing, and the donkeys grazing beside them,
15 a group of men from [the] Sheba [area] came and attacked us. They killed all your servants [who were working in the fields] and took away all the oxen and donkeys! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you what happened.”
and Sheba attacked, and took them away. Yes, they have killed the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
16 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Lightning from the sky [MTY] struck and killed all the sheep and all the men who were taking care of the sheep! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
While he was still speaking, there also came another, and said, "The fire of God has fallen from the sky, and has burned up the sheep and the young men, and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you."
17 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived. He said to Job, “Three groups [of robbers/bandits] from Chaldea [land] came and attacked us. They stole all the camels and killed all the men who were taking care of them. I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "The Kasdim made three bands, and swept down on the camels, and have taken them away, and killed the young men with the edge of the sword; and I alone have escaped to tell you."
18 While he was still talking to Job, another messenger arrived and reported this to Job: “Your sons and daughters were feasting in the home of their oldest brother.
While he was still speaking, there came also another, and said, "Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house,
19 Suddenly a (very strong wind/tornado) came from the desert and struck the house. The house collapsed on your sons and daughters and killed them all! I am the only one who escaped to [come and] tell you [what happened].”
and look, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young men, and they are dead. I alone have escaped to tell you."
20 Job stood up, and tore his robe and shaved his head [because he was very sad/grieved]. Then he prostrated himself on the ground [to worship God].
Then Job arose, and tore his robe, and shaved his head, and fell down with his face to the ground.
21 He said, “When I was born, I had no clothes on. When I die, I will not take any clothes with me. Yahweh gave me [everything that I possessed], and [now] he has taken it all away. But (we should/I will) always praise Yahweh [anyway]! [MTY]”
He said, "Naked I came out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. Jehovah gave, and Jehovah has taken away. Blessed be the name of Jehovah."
22 In spite of all these [things that happened to] Job, [he] did not sin by saying that what God had done was wrong.
In all this, Job did not sin, nor charge God with wrongdoing.